* Johan Santana is on the block and the Mets’ only chance to acquire this regal talent is to part with some: Namely Jose Reyes. Every Mets fan would be saddened to see him depart. However, some warts in his game began to develop late last season. He slumped badly and displayed a lack of hustle at times. Those both are troubling traits. Moreover, with Santana I guarantee the Mets would close out the NL East. They could replace Reyes with free agent David Eckstein, a pepper-pot type player. He’s not Reyes, but Santana is not Tom Glavine, either.
DOUG BRANCH
Delmar, N.Y.
* For some reason, I don’t take Mets GM Omar Minaya’s word as gospel. I do believe the Mets will trade Jose Reyes to obtain Johan Santana. It would be a horrible move on many levels, but this is all about the almighty dollar. The Mets should keep Reyes and go after the kid they traded to the Devil Rays, Scott Kazmir. Trade Reyes and it may set this team back further than it did when they traded Kazmir.
TIM FARINA
Plantation, Fla.
* I’m baffled by all the panic I’ve read surround ing Jose Reyes. In late August he was still batting over .300 and many were mar veling at his in credible devel opment over his first four major league seasons. Now, after a disappointing final six weeks, it appears everything is being questioned, and his name is even being mentioned in trade rumors. What a complete overreaction! The guy is 24 years old and still developing. He’s a franchise shortstop and should be manning the position in Flush ing for as many years as the Mets can keep him.
STEVE BORRELLI
Raritan, N.J.
* The Yankees are going to get nobody again and will have to depend on ridiculously overrated homegrown players to carry them in 2008. The Twins want the moon for Johan Santana and the Yankees have no chance to get him without giving up half the team. They’re even out of the running to get Dan Haren, for whom Oakland also wants the moon. The Yankees are sinking in quicksand and won’t win another World Series any time soon.
PETER SELIGSON
Bayport, N.Y.
An average Manning
* I can’t quite understand why everyone is so up in arms over how poorly Giants quarterback Eli Manning has performed. He was a average player in college and has proven to be less then that at the professional level. You can add Manning’s name to the long list of brothers of superstar athletes who were drafted very high based on their last name not their skill level and turned out to be a total busts.
FRANK PISCO JR.
Mamaroneck, N.Y.
* Eli Manning has average arm strength, and below average accuracy, pocket presence, and football instincts. I demand he take a DNA test to see if he really is related to Archie and Peyton. They say the apple does not fall from the tree. Well, this apple must have been kicked a long way away.
MICHAEL EMMA
Brooklyn
* I go back to the Charlie Conerly days when the Giants played at Polo Grounds and then Yankee Stadium, so I’ve seen lots of football and feel I’m qualified to Offer Eli Manning a lesson. It’s Football 101, Chapter 1: “Do not throw the football to the guys with the different color jerseys.”
ELIO VALENTI
Brooklyn
Smiling villain
* I have never written a letter to The Post. What has pulled me toward the keyboard? The vision of Isiah Thomas laughing as the Madison Square Garden crowd booed him Friday night. I will let the shrinks give their reasoning, but I see it as a lack of respect for Knicks fans. He does not give a damn about us. Oh, he says all of the right things, but the truth is he gets his huge paycheck and laughs all the way to the bank. What honorable man would be sneering or laughing as the Garden faithful point him to the door?
JASON KASARSKY
Irvington, N.Y.